Apparatus for examining matter or objects in quantities.



J. I. SOLOMON. APPARATUS FOR EXAMINING MATTER 0R OBJECTS IN QUANTITIES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1906.

0 Mm Mm 6M 2 DE j d i da r p r m% r y DU WV A Witnesses J. 1. SOLOMOTI.

APPARATUS FOR EXAMINING MATTER 0R OBJECTS IN QUANTITIES. APPLIOATIOHFILED APR. 24, 1906.

961,322. Patented June 14,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

o cogooool Witnesses Inventor JMIW WW .4 'torneys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN I. SOLOMON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR EXAMINING MATTER OR OBJECTS IN QUANTITIES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN I. SoLoMoN, a citizen of the United States,residin in the borough of Manhattan, city of ew York, State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Examining Matter orObjects in Quantities, of which the following is a description.

The object I have in view is the production of means whereby objects inquantity or separate pieces of matter may be examined and their contentsascertained.

The invention is particularly designed for ascertaining the presence andthe character of pearls 1n pearl oysters, mussels and other shell fishwithout injury to the shell fish; but the invention is not limited tothe character of objects under consideration, as it may be used inconnection with any object which it is desirable to examine. Theaccompanying drawings illustrate means for carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a tray embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 asectional view thereof taken on the lines 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is aview, largely diagrammatical, showing a modified form of apparatus; Fig.4- is a plan view of still another modification, and Fig. 5 is asectional view thereof on the-lines 5'5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is stillanother modification. Q

In all of the several views like parts are designated by the samereference characters.

The invention comprises means for supporting the objects in such amanner that a radiographic picture may be taken of them, or theymay beobserved through the agency of the fluoroscope. This means may be in theform of a tray, pan, moving belt or other medium, and may be made ofmaterial which is not opaque to the passage of X- rays, Roentgen rays orother forms of rays other than light which are used, and will he placedadjacent to the sensitized sh face and between the sensitized surfaceand the source of the rays, and a radiographic pic-' Speciflcation ofLetters Patent. Patented J n ne 14 191() Application filed April 24,1906. SerialNo. 318,454.

oped, the supporting mediumv can be put to one side and anothersupporting medium with fresh objects may be subjected to the action ofthe rays and radiographed. When the radiographic picture has beendeveloped, it may be compared with the objects in that particular trayor u on that particular portion of the moving elt, and thecharacteristics sought to be found in the objects can be positivelyascertained.

In connection with pearl oysters, mussels or other shell fish, they maybe supported upon a tray, which may be formed of canvas or any othermaterial not obstructive to the passage of rays, or may be formed of agrid or network of material which does not obstruct the passage of therays, but with the supports so arranged as not to affeet the observationof pearls. The tray can be placed over a sensitized surface and exposedto the effect of the rays. When the sensitized surface is beingdeveloped, the tray containing the shell fish may be placed in water sothat the shell fish will remain alive. After the sensitized surface isdeveloped, the radiographic picture may be compared with the originalshell fish of the picture, and the presence, size etc. of the pearlsascertained. This examination can .be made without injuring the shellfish.

After examination, the shell fish may be opened, or returned to the sea,or replanted. When replanted, they may be kept in such position as to bereadily accessible and reexamined at intervals.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 represent one form of apparatus forcarrying out the invention. a represents a frame, which may be made ofmetal and is provided with books 1) around its periphery. 0 is a canvasbottom, which has eyelets d around the ed es. It is secured to theframe'by means of a aeing (2 which passes through the eyelets and aroundthe hooks. This lacing is. so arranged that the canvas can be keptstretched and under tension, and yet by casting it off from the hooks,the canvas canbe left supported upon a firm foundation and the frameremoved and used in connection with another canvas. A supplementalwooden frame f may be secured to the metal frame a. by means of screws9. This frame f has an opening somewhat smaller than the size of theframe a, so that the articles under examination will be kept away fromthe frame ects may then be p a'and will never be in such a osition thatrays will ass through the ob ects and be obstructed y the frame a. Theouter edges of the frame f are rounded as shown, so that the canvas canbe stretched .around them without injury. As shown in Fig. 2, thearticles under examination, which are shown to be shell fish, are placedupon thecanvas and within the frame f, so as to be subjected to theaction of the rays 72.. The sensitized surface 2', which may be heldclosely a ainst the other side of the canvas, will be a ected by therays, and a radiographic picture of the shell fishand their contents maybe taken.

upon the sensitized surface. In order to distinguish the particular traywhich is the subject of alpicture, a device consisting of a number,letter, etc., such as is, made of a material which will obstruct thepassage of the rays, is provided. This device is is preferabl attachedto the canvas, and it is to be undlerstood that a differentdistinguishing mark is to be provided for each separate piece of canvas.

Fig. 3 shows a modification of the invention, in which the canvas 0 isin the form of an endless belt. Here the frame a is fixed, and the beltpasses around rollers Z Z. Suitable means are provided for rotating therollers and moving the surface 0. The objects to be examined may beplaced within the frame a, and the sensitized surface 2' placed belowthe canvas 0. shown as divided into sections with distinguishin'gdevices 7: in each one, so that the separate pictures may be distinished. In the operation of this modification, the objects may be placedwithin the frame and within one subdivision of the conveyer. Thesensitized medium may then be placed under it, as shown, and aradiograph taken. The conveyor will then be moved by turning one or bothof therollers, so that the objects will be moved to one side and anuncovered portion of the conveyer exposed. More obaced within the frameand a second radiograph taken. This will be continued, the radiographsbeing developed while others are bemg taken. The conveyer belt should besufiiciently long so that .the developed radiograph Wlll be secured andcompared with the corresponding objects wit out disturbing thecontinuity of action of the machine. Each radiograph will have printedupon it the distinguishing character of'that ortion of the conveyer, andthe different 0 jects may be identified before they are disturbed.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a further modification of the invention, in which agrid or grating is formed of metal or other material which may obstructthe passage of the rays. This grid is formed of bars on m which areconnected to a frame n. The frame 11. carries cross-bars 0 having aseries of holes therein.

The canvas is The bars m are carried between the frame a and cross-bars0 by means of bolts" or screws 39 which pass throu h the openings in thecross-bars and also t rough openings in the bars on. By the means shown,the position of the bars We. may be adjusted so as to accommodateobjects of different sizes and shapes. A distinguishing means,consisting of a number, letter, symbol, etc., may be made by perforatingone or more of the bars m in the outline of the number, letter ordistinguishing symbol. This is shown at q. Handles 1" may be used forthe purpose of liftin the grating.

In Ti 6 a modlfication is shown in which the sur ace is formed of anetwork of wires .9. The meshes of this network are small enough toprevent the smallest object under examination passing through. In thedevice shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the objects, it they be shell fish, areplaced upon the grid, the spaces'between the bars m being so adjustedthat the shell fish will be supported by engagement of their edges only.This is for the purpose of preventing a radiograph of a pearl in a shellfish being obscured by a picture of one of the bars m. In the deviceshown in Fig. 6 the wires which constitute the netting may be made sosmall that their resence may be disregarded, and the shell fish may beplaced upon the netting without regard to the position of the wires.

It is to be understood that the invention is to be used in connectionwith means for producing ,X-rays, Roentgen rays, or any other rayspenetratin matter opaque to light. The material 0 which the tray may beformed may, in addition to canvas, be of cork, fiber, wood, fabrics ofall kinds, aluminum, celluloid, vulcanized rubber, or any other suitablematerial. Canvas duck is preferred, for the reason that it can be usedwithout warping or distortion when subjected to the action of moisture,and also for the reason that it is cheap and durable.

A further modification of theinvention may be made by utilizing theprinci les of the fluorosco e. In this form, in p ace of the sensitizemedium, would be used the ordinary fluoroscope screen formed of anysuitable material, as for instance the tung: state of barium or ofstrontium in crystallized form or barium platinum cyanid. The means suporting the objects should in this case be p aced between the X-ray tubeand the fiuoroscope. The process herein disclosed is not claimed in thisapplication, but forms the subject matter of my Patent No. 928,888,dated July 20th, 1909.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as newvand desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. An a paratus for examining separated matter or lflerent objects inquantity which comprises a fixed source of rays penetrating examined andremoved from such path without changing their relative position, wherebthe configuration, identity and contents o the objects may be observed.

2. An a paratus for examining separated matter or lfierent objects inquantity which comprises a fixed source of rays penetrating matteropaque to' light and a radiographic material, there being between thesource of rays and the radiogra hic material a support for a pluralityoobjects under observation, the support comprising a frame with a movablebottom, so that the objects may be left upon the bottom without changingtheir relative position, such support being movable in relation to thesource of rays, and being of such a character that the objects ma bebrou htinto the ath of the rays an examine and removed from such pathwithout changing their relative position,

whereb the configuration, identity and contents o the objects may beobserved.

3. An a aratus for examining separated matter or liferent objects inquantity which comprises a fixed source of rays penetrating matteropaque to light and a radiographic material of such a character that apermanent radiograph may be obtained, there being between the source ofrays and the radiographic material a support for a plurality of objectsunder observation, the said support carrying means made of a materialwhich obstructs the passage of the rays for indicating the identity ofthe particular support, such support belng movable in relation to thesource of rays, and being of such a character that the objects may bebrought into the path of the rays and examined and removed from suchpath without chan ing their relative position, whereby the con guration,identity and contents of the objects may beobserved.

This specification signed and witnessed this sixteenth day of April,1906.

JOHN I. SOLOMON. Witnesses: AUG. LONG, JOHN L. Lorsorr.

